Slide fastener retaining device



Oct. 4, 1966 G. REESE l SLIDE FASTENER RETAINING DEVICE Filed Jan. 8, 1965 INV ENTOR. GEORGE REESE ATTORNEY u a H m United States Patent O 3,276,086 SLIDE FASTENER RETAINING DEVICE George Reese, 2022 Maple Ave., Los Angeles, Calif. Filed Jan. 8, 1965, Ser. No. 424,309 3 Claims. (Cl. 24-205.11)

The present inventi-on relates to a construction for retaining or holding :a slide fastener against movement after a lacing operation.

IOne noticeable defect of slide fasteners is the fact that .as the slide fastener and the zipper teeth become worn, the slide fastener does not hold the teeth from separating due to the fact that the slide fastener will move under pressure and allow an unlacing of the teeth.

An object of the present invention is to provide a slide fastener retaining device which assures that after the -slide fastener has been moved to a position wherein -all of the teeth are laced, that the slide fastener will not move.

A further object is the provision ofa slide fastener retainer device which is easily applied to slide fasteners now in general use without extensive modification of the slide fastener. p

A further object is the provision of a slide fastener retaining device which is easily applied by an inexperienced person to a garment.

A further object includes a retaining device for a slide fastener which securely holds the slide fastener in a selected posit-ion and wherein the slide fastener is easily separated from Ithe retaining device.

Other objects include a slide fastener which is simple in construction, easily formed from various materials such as metal or plastic, easily operated, inexpensive in cost of manufacture and generally superior t-o retaining devices .for slide fasteners n-ow known to the inventor.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel and useful provision, formation, construction, association and relative arrangement of parts, members and features, lall as shown in a certain embodiment in the 4accompanying drawing, described generally and more particularly pointed out in the cla-ims.

In the drawing:

FIGURE l is a fragmentary elevation of a pair of trousers, incorporating the invention at the fly portion thereof;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary enlarged elevation showing the fastener element in moved position from that of FIGURE- 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary enlarged cross sectional view on the line 3 3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a front plan view of the slide fastener and an element of the retaining device;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view on the line 6-6 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a detached perspective view of elements of the retaining device; and,

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary detached view of one element of the retaining device and of the pull tab of the slide fastener.

Referring now to the drawing, I have shown my invention in cooperation with the -y of a pair of trousers. The fly is illustrative only and may be the placket for a womans dress. Wherever a slit is adapted to be opened or closedin a garment, and utilizes a slide fastener for this purpose, t-he present invention may be applied and used. The trousers -1 has a waist band 2 and, as shown, the waist band ends may be separated, as may be a portion of the trousers extending down- (le,y

wardly from the waist band, as shown at 3, to prov-ide what is generally termed the ily. In construction of this type, the fly is generally closed by providing two flap portions 4 and 5 adapted to be overlapped. Zipper teeth 6 and 7 are secured to each flap so that the teeth may Ibe separated by -a slide fastener 8 ofr conventional form, or laced together as shown in FIGlURE 1. As a rule, the'zipper teeth continue to the wa-ist band. As previously pointed out, as l-ong as the teeth 6 tand 7 are not too badly worn, or the slide fastener is not worn, the slide fastener will usually maintain the teeth laced together. When wear appears, however, the slide fastener tends to move easily and to allow separation of teeth 6 and 7. To prevent this from occurring, I provide a retaining device which includes a looped member 10 secured at 11 to the pull tab 12 of the slide fastener 8. The pull tab 12 is generally employed in slide fasteners and is so carried by the slide fastener 8 that it may turn relative to the fastener. The retainer 10 comprises a strip which is Ibent to provide two parallel wing portions 13 and 14 with a connecting bight at 15. The pull tab 12 and the two wings 13 and 14 are provided With axial aligned bores t-o allow passage of connecting means 16 which in the present instance and for illustration only, may comprise a short bolt provided with a nut, the bolt being passed through the aligned openings and secured by the nut. This construction provides a passageway or loop 17 between the wings 13 and 14.

The second elemeilt of the retaining device is shown in FIGURE 7 and comprises a strip 20 bent at 21 to provide two separated parallel wings 22 and 23. Wing 23 has secured on its outer surface a strip 24 provided with a pair of outstanding prongs 25 and 26, the prongs being substantially'parallel. A prong retaining plate is provided at 27 and has two separated transverse Ibores at 28 and 29 to allow passage of the prongs therethrough, as hereinafter detailed. The wing 22 -is notched at 30 along its top edge, the notch being of a length slightly greater than the width of the retainer member 10.

The operation, uses and advantages of the invention are as follows.

`It is intended that the notch 30 should be in alignment with the slide fastener, and particularly the pull tab 12 as illustrated in FIGURE 1. Having determined the correct position for the retaining device 20, the prongs 25 and 26 are passed through the waist band 2 followed by applying the prong retaining plate to the prongs and bending the prongs, -as shown in -FIGURE 4 at 315 and 36. The retaining member 20 is then securely held to the waist band and associated fabric elements which includes the garment fabric, stiffening for the waist band and the lining, as shown in both FIGURES 3 and 4. The open end of the retainer device 20 is toward the fly 3. Therefore, when the slide `fastener has completely laced the teeth as far as the waist band, the retainer 10 may receive the wing 22 in the passageway or loop 17 and dropped within the notch 30. This securely holds the slide fastener against movement. As a rule, a waist band is adapted to be secured, when encircling a waist, by a hook 40 engaging a retainer loop 41. If the hook 40 should become disengaged from the loop 41, the slide fastener utilizing my invention will not move for the reason lthat the retainer 10 is held within the notch of the retaining device 20. This becomes important for workmen and people following strenuous labor pursuits as slide fastener movement often causes embarrassment lby an opening of the ily 3.' Furthermore, a person utilizing the present invention is not likely to forget to close the ily by movement of the slide fastener. I have found it advantageous in measuring for the position of the retaining device 20, to consider the bottom edge of the notch 30 with relation to the topmost position of the slide fastener. Thus, prior to connecting the hook 40 to catch 41, the belt may be depressed so that the 4reta-iner 10 will drop into notch 30 and be held in said notch when the waistband is closed by the hook 40 and catch 41. However, as the notch 30 is in alignment with the slide fastener 8 and the wing 22 has extended length, the retainer 10 will not escape from the notch under ordinary use.

I claim:

1. A retaining device for slide fasteners including: a retainer member having two separated and interconnected wings to provide .an entrance way therebetween, one of the wings provided with means of attachment to a garment at the waist portion thereof and the other wing provided on its top edge with an elongated notch, a slide fastener for lacing and unlacing zipper teeth secured to the garment, a loop type retainer member swingingly secured to the slide fastener, said loop type retainer member adapted for engagement with the wing having the elongated notch for reception in said notch to hold the slide fastener against movement.

2. A garment having a ily portion, zipper teeth at said :fly portion, and a slide fastener for lacing said zipper teeth, of: means for maintaining the slide fastener in a position to hold the zipper teeth laced and the ily portion closed, ycomprising a rst retainer memlber secured to the garment and having a free end wing, said wing provided with a notch, a second retainer member of loop 30 4 form secured to the slide fastener for passage of the wing therethrough and for reception in said notch, said notch extending inwardly from the top edge of the wing.

3. A garment having a ily porti-on, Zipper lteeth at said ily portion, and a slide lfastener for lacing said zipper teeth, of: means for maintaining the slide fastener in a position to hold the teeth laced and the yfly closed, comprising a rst retainer member having two interconnected and separated parallel wings of substantially equal length, means 4for securing the inner wing permanently to the garment and the outer wing having a free end to provide an entrance way between the wings, and a second retainer memlber having two interconnected parallel wings to form a ilat loop for reception on the wing of the rst retainer member having the free end, and means for the wing having the free end for holding the flat loop against displacement therefrom after the slide fastener has laced the zipper teeth.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,279,296 4/1942 Bresnick 24-205.1l X 2,656,579 l0/l953 Wilson 24-205.ll 2,688,138 9/1954 Glass.

FOREIGN PATENTS 991,377 10/ 1951 France. Y i

BERNARD A. GELAK, Primary Examiner. 

1. A RETAINING DEVICE FOR SLIDE FASTENERS INCLUDING: A RETAINER MEMBER HAVING TWO SEPARATED AND INTERCONNECTED WINGS TO PROVIDE AN ENTRANCE WAY THEREBETWEEN, ONE OF THE WINGS PROVIDED WITH MEANS OF ATTACHMENT TO A GARMENT AT THE WAIST PORTION THEREOF AND THE OTHER WING PROVIDED ON ITS TOP EDGE WITH AN ELONGATED NOTCH, A SLIDE FASTENER FOR LACING AND UNLACING ZIPPER TEETH SECURED TO THE GARMENT, A LOOP TYPE RETAINER MEMBER SWINGINGLY SECURED TO THE SLIDE FASTENER, SAID LOOP TYPE RETAINER MEMBER ADAPTED FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH THE WING HAVING THE ELONGATED NOTCH FOR RECEPTION IN SAID NOTCH TO HOLD THE SLIDE FASTENER AGAINST MOVEMENT. 